Deborah Barak is Austin’s Documentary Family Photographer
Have you ever wondered…What it would be like to have a complete stranger climb all over your furniture to photograph you from weird angles while you pull a tiny lego out of your kid’s ear?
NO?
Well imagine you have. Now let me tell you why it’s much less weird than you might think, and why you want to hire ME to do it.
For one thing, I’m small so I won’t break your furniture, and my tiny feet are very clean. I’m also really nice, warm, sometimes funny and not at all intimidating. You’ll like me and I’ll like you and it won’t be long before you’ll feel like we’re just hanging out.
I am also an overwhelmed parent! You can let your stuff all hang out around me. Your laundry pile (my own is horrendous!) and the fact that your child has refused a hair wash for the past two weeks (yup, over here), are a part of your human life and I am not judging!
As a documentary family photographer my expertise is to roll with whatever comes my way. I don’t need good behavior, smiles or predictable lighting to make beautiful photos for your family. I’ve had sessions where kids never sat still for a second or someone hid under the table the entire time. I can make magic with the light emanating from an iPad screen. I’ve witnessed and captured countless meltdowns, contentious bedtimes, sibling aggression and much nose picking. I’m telling you these things because they are the one’s you’re worried about, and I’m here to tell you “don’t.”
Intertwined with all those things I’ve documented so much love, playfulness, sublime moments of motherhood and parenthood, so many core childhood memories being created.
All of this worthy of being photographed.
And finally, your kids will think I’m fantastic if only because I’m allowed to climb on furniture in ways they’ve only ever dreamed of, and they’ll be asking when I’m going to come over again.
I know you want me to make art of your perfectly imperfect life! Let’s make it happen.
“The pictures captured such meaningful moments for our family. Deborah was amazing with my kids. She made the experience completely comfortable for the four of us. We plan to work with her at least annually.”
— Chino, Morning in the Life
I want to be your lifetime photographer
To create for you a reflection of your family with honesty, curiosity and love in all stages of your life
To get parents into the photos! Your kids want to see you too, not just themselves
To capture the richness of your story and help you see the beauty in the mundane
To make sure your memories are preserved with the highest quality archival prints and albums so you can keep them forever
To make the whole process so easy and delightful that you can’t wait to have me back again next year
More Deborah fun facts…
I was born and grew up in South Africa. Cape Town is home and I visit my family there as often as I can.
I moved to New York at the age of 22, and lived there for 18 years. For most of that time I produced and wrote non-fiction TV.
I’ve always been drawn to real stories and experiences. Before I learned that documentary family photography was even a thing, I honed my skills shooting street photography.
After my daughter was born we moved to Austin to live under the big Texas sky!
Motherhood tears me apart and re-shapes me every day. I take self portraits and document my own life both to express myself, and so that I am a presence in the visual history that I leave my daughter.
